Postmarking and stam p-canceling machine



(No Model.) 2 Sheet Sheet 1 E. M. VAIL 85 G. POTTER. I POSTMARKING ANDSTAMP CANGELING MAOHINE. No. 606,257.

Patented June 28, 1898 Wifgzsszs n "runs pcvzas 00.. PHOTO-UTHQ. WA5H(No Model.)

' 2 Sheets-Sheet 2'. E. M. VAIL ,& G. POTTER. POSTMARKING AND STAMPGANQELING MACHINE- Patented June 28,1898.

Gzdeowfiiier WHIDQSSQS me man: pzrzns co, puoTaL-ma, wasnmoz'ou. :1 cl

EDWARD M. VAIL AND GIDEON POTTER, or KEWANEE, mentors.

PQSTMARKING ANDSTAlVlP-CANCELING MACHINE.

SPEGIFICAT ION forming part of Letters Patent No. 606,257, dated June28, 1898. Application filed December 16, 1896. Serial No. 615,910. (Nomodel.)

Machine, of which'the following is a specification.

This invention relates to that class of machines for canceling thestamps. and post marking letters and other mail-matter, and has for itsobject the provision of a machine for attaining these'ends which willinsure the canceling and postmarking of each letter or article as thelatter-passes through the ma-' chine, the parts being so combined thatthe bed will not receive an impression from the postmarking or cancelingtype and soil the back of a letter or article when the machine is inoperation.

For a full understanding of the merits and advantages of theinventionreference is to be had to'the accompanying drawings and thefollowing description.

. The improvement is susceptible of various changes in the form,proportion, and the minor details of construction without departing fromthe principle or sacrificing any of the advantages thereof, and toa'full disclosure of the invention an adaptation thereof is shown in theaccompanying drawings, in which-- Figure 1 is a top plan View of amachine especially designed for attaining the ends of this invention.Fig. 2 is a viewof themachine inverted. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectionthereof. Fig. 4 is an end view showing the printing and impressionrollers and the partsintimately associated therewith. Fig. 5 is a detailview, in plan elevation, of the printing and impression rollers, showingthe means for properly positioning a letter between them. Fig. 6 is adetail view showing the relation and the mountings of a gripper. Fig. 7is a detail view of a gripper. Fig. 8 is a detail view of the spring forpreventing the rebound of a letter when struck by the stop. Fig. 9 is adetail View of a link comprising the endless conveyer.

Correspondingand like parts are referred to in the following descriptionand indicated 11 and 12.

in the several views of the accompanying drawings by the same referencecharacters.

The framework comprises a bed 1, supported upon legs 2 or in any wayfound most convenient, according to the location of the machine. A table3 is located at one end of the bed "and receives the letters 1 or othermailmatter to be postmarked and canceled, a gage .5 being adjustablysecured tothe table, so as to insure only one letter or article beingfed at a time. A table 6 is located at the opposite end of thebed andreceives the mail-matter after the same has been canceled and postmarked, and this table is provided at one edge with a butt-piece '7,against which the ends of the letters or articles abut and are evened,said letters being supported in an upright position by a movablebracket-stopS, which slides upon the table as the bulk of matterincreases. A stop 9 is located at the inner endvof the butt-piece 7 andextends over the table and is inclined at its inner edge, and theletters or other articles are received against the inclined edge of thisstop as they emerge from between the printing and impression rollers.The postmarking, canceling, and feeding mechanisms are located betweenthe tables 3 and 6 and are supported by the bed 1.

The printing-roller comprises a central portion 10 and rim or endportions 11 and 12, whichmay be integrally formed or composed ofseparate parts connected together in any convenient way. The centralportion 10 is provided with'the canceling and postmarking type ordevices, the canceling-type consisting of a series of lines 13 and thepost marking-type being fitted into a pocket 14 and held therein by aspring-plate 15 and a binding-screw 16, the latter being threaded in anopening extending from a side of the pocket through an end of theroller. printing-type extend beyond the surface of the part 10and-terminate within the plane of the rims or ends 11 and 12, therebycoming between the surfaces of the parts 10 and The shaft 17, upon whichthe print- The ing-roller is secured, is mounted at its upper,

end in a bracket 18 and at its lower end in a bearing 19, secured to thebed 1. A sprocket? Wheel 20 is secured to the shaft 17 below theprinting-roller and above the plane of the shaft 17 below the bed andmeshes with a corresponding spur-wheel 22, carried by a shaft 23, whichbears the impression-roller, thereby causing both the printing andimpression rollers to revolve together. A gripper 24 is provided for oneof the rims or ends and, as shown, is applied to the rim l2 and iscompressible, so as to insure a positive feed of the letter or articlewhen the latter is caught between corresponding grippers. This gripperoperates in a recess 25 in the periphery of the rim or end 12, and itsshank 26 is slidingly mounted in an opening-27 and has a spring 28mounted thereon and confined between a shoulder of the shank and theinner end of the opening 27, so as to project the gripper 24 beyond thesurface of the rim or end 12. A pin 29, passing through a transverseopening at the inner end of the shank 26, limits the outward movement ofthe gripper 24 and operates in an opening 30, extending inward from anend of the roller parallel with the bore thereof, through which theshaft 17 passes.

The impression-roller comprises disks 31 and 32 and a segment 33, thelatter being loosely mounted upon the shaft 23, between the disks 31 and32, whereas the said disks are secured to the shaft, so as to rotatetherewith and cooperate withthe corresponding rims or end portions 11and 12 of the printing-roller. The disk 32 has a gripper 24, constructedin all essential particulars and mounted precisely the same as thecorresponding part herein described at length and applied to the rim 12.These grippers 24 cooperate and project beyond the surfaces of theirsupporting parts and are adapted to grip a letter or like article andcarry the same between the printing and impression rollers.

The segment 33 is limited in its backward movement by a buffer 34,secured to a portion of the frame, and has a stop 35 at its forward end,which normally projects across the space between the printing andimpression rollers, so as to properly position the letters or othermatter to be marked and insure the canceling of the stamp. The stop 35terminates short of the plane of the type-surface,

so as not to engage therewith when the ma chine is running and no letteris passing between the printing and impression rollers. A spring 36 issecured at one end to the segment and is adjustably connected at itsother end with a bracket 37 by making connection with a screw-eye 38,passing loosely through a lug of the bracket and having a thumb-nut 39,mounted upon the threaded end of the screweye and bearing against thelug through which the screw-eye passes. By a proper adjustwith thesucceeding letter or article and retard its movement until caughtbetween the grippers 24. When the segment is returned to and occupies anormal position, the stop 35 projects across the space between theopposing parts of the printing and impression rollers, and the advancingletter or article, engaging with the projecting end of the stop, isproperly positioned to insure the correct marking of the printing-type.This segment is faced with felt, leather, or other material which willform a soft bed and obviate injury to the printing-type with which itcooperates to hold the article or letter when being marked. Mail-matter,being of a miscellaneous character, varies in thickness. Hence provisionmust be made to accommodate letters and articles of different thickness,and for this purpose the shaft 23 is mounted in bearings provided at theends of a yoke 40, the latter being capable of moving in the bracket 37and in the bed 1. This yoke is provided with a stem 41, which passesloosely through a set-screw 2 and has its outer end reduced and threadedand receiving an adjusting-nut 43, the latter bearing against the headof the set-screw 42, so as to limit the movement of the shaft 23 towardthe shaft 17, whereby the normal distance between the printing and bedrollers is regulated. The set-screw 42 is hollow and is mounted in athreaded opening in the bracket 37, and its head is milled or otherwiseconstructed to admit of the set-screw being turned to regulate thetension of the spring 44, mounted upon the stem 41 and confined betweenthe yoke 40 and the inner end of the set-screw 42. The sole purpose ofthe set-screw 42 is to regulate the tension of the spring 44, wherebythe bed-roller is held against the printing-roller with a greater orless pressure. Obviously the impression-roller, from the constructionset forth, is capable of yielding to accommodate matter of varyingthickness as it passes between the printing and impression rollers. Byoperating the adjusting-nut 43 the space between the printing andimpression rollers can be varied at will.

An endless conveyer 45 is the means for carrying the letters or matterto be marked from the table 3 to the marking mechanism and consists of asprocket-chain whose links 46 have flanges or lips 47, the latterextending at right angles from an edge of the links and forming asupport for the letters or articles during their travel to the markingmechanism. This endless conveyer is supported at its rear end upon thesprocket-wheel 20 and at its front end upon a sprocket-wheel 48, securedto a shaft 49, bearing a feed-wheel 50. The feed-wheel 50 and themarking mechanism are in the same plane and are above the endlesseonveyer. Afeed-roller 51 cooperates with the feed-wheel 50 to start thelettcrs or other mail-matter on their way to the marking mechanism. Afeed-pulley 52 is located in advance of the gage 5 andmoves the lettersone at a time from the table 3 to the feed-wheel and feed-roller 51,which latter advance the letters rapidly through the race and give theman initial impetus on their way toward the marking mechanism. Thefeedpulley 52 is positively driven from the shaft 49 by means of a belt53, passing around corresponding pulleys on the shaft 49 and the shaftof the feed-pulley 52. A counter-shaft 54 is driven from any suitablesource of power by means of a belt (not shown) passing around a pulley55 on the shaft 54, and this latter shaft has a bevel gear-wheel 56,which intermeshes with a bevel-pinion 57, secured to the shaft 49. Hencemotion imparted to the shaft 54 is transmitted to the shaft 49 and tothe feed-pulley 52 in the manner set forth and by means of the endlessconveyer 45 to the marking mechanism, as will be readily understood.

The race is formed between vertical and parallel strips 58, secured tothe bed 1 by blocks 59 or in any convenient way, and the purpose of thisrace is to support the letters in an upright position while travelingfrom the table 3 to the marking mechanism. The endless conveyer 45travels beneath the race or strips 58 and formsin substancea movable ortraveling bottom to the race, so as to advance and carry the matter tothe marking mechanism. Some matter is of such character as not to be fedfrom the table 3 by means of the feed-pulley 52 and must be fed by handinto the race,when it is advanced to the marking mechanism by theendless conveyer the same as the assorted matter. To facilitate thefeedingof this class of matter to the race, a hopper is mounted thereonand consists of oppositely-inclining plates 60, which are attached attheir lower edges to the strips- 58 and flare toward their upper edges.Hence any matter dropped in to the hopper will gravitate into the raceand be received upon the endless conveyer and carried to the markingmechanism. The strip 58, remote from the impression-roller, is providedat its rear end with a guide 61 to cause the advancing end of the letteror article to incline toward the impression-roller, so as to insure itsengagement with the stop 35, and the opposite strip has a guide 62,whose free end is toothed, so as to engage with and prevent any reboundof the letter when the latter is struck by the stop 35, due to thesegment 33 returning quickly to a normal position. The printingroller isinked by means of an inking-roller 63, located in the space formedbetween the parts of the endless conveyer, said inkingroller beingloosely mounted upon a spindle 64, so as to be detached to be chargedwith ink or replaced by a new one.

After the marking the letters or mail-matter is packed upon the table 6,the stop 8 moving as the pile increases. The packer consists of a reelcomprising a shaft 65 and arms 66, the latter being grouped about theshaft 65 and provided in pairs, the arms of each pair alining verticallyand adapted to pass above and below the stop 9 when the space.

machine is in operation. The shaft 65 projects below the bed and isprovided with a sprocket-wheel which is driven from the shaft 17 bymeans of a sprocket-chain 67, passing around. corresponding sprockets-wheels secured upon the respective shafts 17 and 65. The reel-arms 66have offsets 68 intermediate of their ends, whereby the inner and outerportions are thrown out of line, and the outer ends are curvedrearwardly, so as to readily disengage themselves from the letters afterthe latter have been moved and properly positioned upon the table 6.These arms 66 are light and capable of springing, which is of advantagein order to successfully stack the letters upon the table 6. The offsets68 form stops to receive the outer ends of the letters and prevent themcoming too near the shaft 65 and insuring their engagement with the stop9. by this construction than would be the case if the said armsprojected straight from the shaft, and the latter can be set nearer thetable 6,which is of advantage in economizing A further advantage of theoffsets 68 is had in enabling arms of less length being successfullyused than would be required if they were straight.

The letters are assorted and faced and are placed upon the table 3 andagainst the gage 5, and are advanced to the feed-pulley 52 by theattendant pressing upon the pile. The letter nearest the feed-pulley 52is movedforward between the feed-wheel 50 and the roller 51, and isadvanced rapidly through the race by means of the feed-wheel 50 andtheendless conveyer 45, as these parts rotate at a comparatively highrate of speed. The letter passing between the printing and impressionrollers engages with the stop 35 and is subsequently caught between thegrippers 24 and drawn between the said rollers, the segment 33 movingwith the letter and pressing the latter against the stamp-canceling andpostmarking type. The printing-roller revolves Moreover, greaterclearance is had IIO continuously in the same direction, whereas thesegment 33,forming the impression proper, moves forward a distancecorresponding to the length of the marking mechanism, and when thelatter passes beyond the segment and the latter is released it returnsto a normal position by means of the spring 36, thereby bringing thestop 35 in position to engage with the next letter, so as to hold ituntil it is gripped between the parts 24,iwhen the operation justdescribed is repeated. As the marked letter passes from between theprinting and impression rollers it is caught by the arms of thepacker-reel and moved upon the table 6. v

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is- 1. In amachine for marking mail-matter, the combination of a table forreceiving the matter to be marked, a gage at the inner edge of thetable, a marking mechanism located at same horizontal plane therewith, arace ex tending from the marking mechanism to the table and comprisingvertical and parallel strips, the outer strip having an end portionprojecting over the table and terminating about opposite the aforesaidgage, a feed-pulley located in frontof the extended strip for advancingthe letters through the space formed between the said projecting endportion of the strip and the gage, a feed-wheel between the table andinner strip of the race and acting jointly with a roller carried by theprojected end of the aforesaid outer strip to give the letters aninitial impetus, and an endless conveyer disposed horizontally andwholly below the race and the feeding and marking mech anisms, andhaving a portion forming a traveling bottom to the race throughout itsextent, substantially as set forth.

2. In a machine for marking mail-matter, the combination of a table atone end for receiving the matter to be marked, a marking mechanism atthe opposite end, a race extend" in g from the table to the markingmechanism and comprising vertical and parallel strips, a feeder foradvancing the letters from the table to the race, a second feedingmechanism at the receiving end of the race for giving the letters aninitial impetus, and an endless conveyer below the race and forming atraveling bottom therefor, and connecting the marking mechanism with thefeeding mechanism at the receiving end of the race for transmittingmotion from one to the other, substantially as set forth.

3. In a machine for marking mail-matter, the combination of a markingmechanism com prising a printin g-roller, a sprocket-wheel on a journalof the printing-roller, a feedwheel parallel with the printing-rollerand located at a distance therefrom, a sprocketwheel on a journal of thefeed-wheel, vertically-disposed parallel strips forming a race betweenthe marking mechanism and feedwheel, and a sprocket-chain connecting thesprocket-wheel of the printing-roller with the sprocket-wheel of thefeed-wheel, and having horizontally-extendinglips or flanges to projectacross the space formed between the walls of the race to support theletters and carry them to the marking mechanism, substantially as setforth.

4. In a machine for marking mail-matter, the combination of ahorizontally-disposed bed, cooperatin g printing and impression rollersarranged vertically at one end of the bed, a cooperatin g feed-wheel andfeed-roller placed vertically at the opposite end of the bed, afeed-pulley in advance of the feedwheel and operatively connectedtherewith, vertical strips spaced apart and extending between themarking and feeding mechanisms, a sprocket-chain connectingsprocketwheels applied to journals of the printingroller and feed-wheel,and lips or flanges extending horizontally from the sprocket-chainacross the space formed between the parallel strips to support and carrythe letters to the marking mechanism, substantially as set forth.

5. In a machine for marking mail-matter, the combination of a markingmechanism, means for feeding the matter to be marked thereto, a tablefor receiving the matter after it has'been marked, a stop overhangingthe table and inclined on its inner edge, a shaft, and correspondingarms extending horizontally from the shaft to pass above and below thestop, and bent between their ends to throw their outer portions inadvance of their inner portions, substantially as and for the purposeset forth.

(3. In a machine for marking mail-matter, the combination of the markingmechanism, means for feeding the matter to be marked thereto, a tablefor receiving the matter after it has been marked, a stop overhangingthe table and inclined on its inner edge, and a packer comprising ashaft and arms radiating from the shaft to operate above and below theaforesaid stop,and having offsets midway of their ends providingshoulders to receive the outer ends of the letters and limit theirmovement in one direction, and throwing the outer ends of the arms inadvance of their inner ends to give ample clearance for the letters,substantially in the manner set forth.

7. In a machine for marking mail-matter, the combination with themarking mechanism, of a packer comprising a shaft and arms radiatingfrom the shaft and having offsets midway of their ends, and having theirouter portions curving rearwardly, substantially as shown for thepurpose specified.

8. In a machine for marking mail-matter, the combination with themarking mechanism, a race, and means for advancing the letters throughthe race to the marking mechanism, of a rebounding stop to engage withthe forward end of the advancing letters and properly position them, anda spring attached at one end to a wall of the race and having its freeend toothed and extending across the path of the advancing letters toengage positively therewith and prevent backward movement of theletters, and capable of yielding to permit their free forward movement,substantially as set forth.

9. In a machine for marking mail-matter, the combination of the markingmechanism, a rebounding stop carried by an element of the markingmechanism, means for feeding letters to the marking mechanism comprisinga race, and a spring secured at one end to a wall of the race and havingits free end toothed and extending across the path of the advancingletters to engage positively therewith and prevent backward movementwhen struck by the stop on its rebound, and capable of yielding to admitof the free forward movement of the letters, substantially as described.

10. In a machine for marking mail-matter, the combination of a markingmechanism, a

race leading thereto, means for moving the matter to be marked throughthe race, a stop carried by an element of the marking mechanism toengage with and properly position the matter, a spring to insure thematter engaging with the said stop,and a toothed spring to prevent arebound of the matter when engaging with the stop,substantially as setforth.

11. In a machine for marking mail-matter, the combination with aprinting-roller, of a roller to cooperate therewith comprising a portionto rotate continuously in one direction and a rebounding impressionsurface, substantially as set forth.

12. In a machine for marking mail-matter, the combination of printingand impression rollers having cooperating end portions, one of therollers having its intermediate portion mounted concentrically with theend portions and adapted to rebound, substantially as and for thepurpose set forth.

13. In a machine for marking mail-matter, the combination of printingand impression rollers, a rebounding stop mounted concentric with one ofthe rollers to properly position the matter to be marked, and aspringactuated gripper to take hold of and move the matter to be markedbetween the rollers and against the rebounding stop, substantially asset forth.

14. In a machine for marking mail-matter, the combination of aprinting-roller, an impression-roller comprising circular end portionsto cooperate with corresponding parts of the printing-roller, and anintermediate rebounding portion loosely mounted and adapted to beadvanced by the letters passing between the two rollers, and means forreturning the intermediate portion of the impression-roller to aninitial position when released from the letter, substantially as setforth.

15. In a machine for marking mail-matter, the combination of aprinting-roller having projecting end portions, an impression-rollerformed of corresponding end portions and an intermediate segmentalportion concentrically mounted with the end portions to 006perate withthe printing-surface, and bearing a stop, and a spring for returning thesaid segmental portion to a normal position when released, substantiallyas set forth.

16. In combination, a printing-roller, an in1- pression-rollercomprising a rotatable portion and a segment, means for rotating theprinting-roller and rotatable portion of the impression-rollercontinuously in the same direction, a stop attached to the said segment,a spring for returning the segment to a normal position when releasedfrom the active portion of the printing-roller, and grippers carried bythe printing and impression rollers to take hold of the matter to bemarked and advance the latter against the said stop so as to turn thesegment, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

17. In a machine for marking mail-matter, the combination of printingand impression rollers, a yoke having bearings at its ends in which isjournaled a shaft of one of the roll-. ers and which are mounted inguides, a stem extending from the yoke and having a threaded portion, aspring mounted upon the stem for moving the yoke to hold the printingand impression rollers at the limit of their inner movement, an adjusting-nut mounted upon the threaded portion of the stem to regulate thespace between the opposing portions of the said rollers, and a supportfor the stem adjustable between the said spring and adjusting-nut,substantially as set forth.

18. In combination, printing and bed rollers, a yoke having one of therollers journaled thereto and provided with a stem having a threadedportion, a hollow set-screw mounted upon the stem, a spring placed uponthe stemand confined between the yoke and the setscrew, and anadjusting-nut mounted upon the threaded portion. of the stem andengaging with the set-screw, substantially as and for the purpose setforth.

In testimony that we claim the foregoing as our own we have heretoaffixed our signatures in the presence of twowitnesses.

EDWARD M. VAIL. GIDEON POTTER. Witnesses:

R. GURNEY, LEVI NORTH.

